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As I have learned over the 28+ years I've been reading my labs is that they can fluctuate over time, they are not indicative of my overall health and they are not always accurate. On top of that, many of my numbers are often above or below the averages and no one can make any sense of them (and I see a lot of physicians).

Medicine is still very much an art even though theoretically it is fact (clinical trials) based.

For many, once per year CD4s may suffice, for others perhaps not. The onus is on you and your physician as to when the labs are appropriate.

Since federal budgets are being slashed, money saved in labs can (should) be diverted to research.

The onus is on you and your physician as to when the labs are appropriate.

but isn't that what is supposed to be happening anyway? I still think that "modern" treatment is still too "new" (Atripla hasn't even been on the market for 10 yrs) to go more than testing every 6 months. I think this (every 6 months) would have been a better recommendation/suggestion. Then those more fortunate could confer with their doctors and choose every 9 or 12 months.

Since federal budgets are being slashed, money saved in labs can (should) be diverted to research.

sadly with so many things under-budgeted already, this savings will just be money NOT spent, not extra money lying around to do something else. Also for most federal and state funded budgets when less is spent, less is budgeted for the following year. Many states, like the feds, are in debt so this is no such things as "savings", there's only less money spent with nothing "leftover" to divert to other projects.